The Bills placed Slay on the reserve/did not report list Friday, Alaina Getzenberg of ESPN.com reports.
The veteran informed the Bills on Thursday that he was contemplating retirement and would not report to the team facilities. The Bills have chosen to retain the cornerback's rights, and depending on the verbiage in Slay's contract, they may be able to claim money from his signing bonus for their own cap if he remains firm in his decision.
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Bills' A.J. Epenesa: Past foot injury
Rotowire
Epenesa (foot) has no injury designation ahead of Sunday's matchup against the Bengals.
Head coach Sean McDermott told reporters Friday that Epenesa "should be fine," after missing Thursday's practice due to a foot injury. Now fully healthy, Epenesa is likely to play an expanded role on the Bills' defensive line in Week 14, as Joey Bosa (hamstring) is in line to miss his first game of the season.
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Bills' Joey Bosa: Won't play Sunday
Rotowire
Head coach Sean McDermott told reporters Friday that Bosa (hamstring) won't play in Sunday's matchup against the Bengals, Matt Parrino of The Syracuse Post-Standard reports.
The 30-year-old sustained a hamstring injury in the Week 13 win over the Steelers and didn't practice Wednesday or Thursday, so it's no surprise that he'll be held out Sunday. Bosa is an integral part of the Bills' pass rush, recording 26 total tackles, including 5.0 sacks, and five forced fumbles over 12 games this season. While he's out Week 14, Javon Solomon will likely start on Buffalo's defensive line.
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Bills' Terrel Bernard: Out for Week 14
Rotowire
Head coach Sean McDermott told reporters Friday that Bernard (elbow) won't play in Sunday's matchup against the Bengals, Matt Parrino of The Syracuse Post-Standard reports.
The fourth-year pro from Baylor opened the Bills' week of practice with consecutive DNPs, so it's no surprise that he'll miss his second game in a row Sunday. While Bernard is sidelined in Week 14, Shaq Thompson is expected to operate as the Bills' top middle linebacker.
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Bills' A.J. Epenesa: DNP with foot
Rotowire
Epenesa (foot) did not practice Thursday, Alaina Getzenberg of ESPN.com reports.
Epenesa was a new addition to Thursday's injury report with a foot injury he likely suffered during Wednesday's session. With the potential absence of Joey Bosa (hamstring) looming as well, Epenesa's absence would pose a significant depth issue at defensive end for the Bills. If neither player can suit up Sunday, Javon Solomon will be the lone option opposite Greg Rousseau on the edge. With such a depleted room, practice squad members Shaq Lawson, Andre Jones, and Morgan Fox are candidates for Week 14 elevation.
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Bills' Darius Slay: Refuses to report
Rotowire
Slay has informed the Bills that he is contemplating retirement and will not report to team facilities after being claimed off waivers Wednesday, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.
Slay and the Steelers mutually parted ways after the veteran cornerback was a healthy scratch during last Sunday's loss to the Bills. The very same Bills then enlisted his talent by claiming him off waivers, a move that the cornerback's former team, the Eagles, also attempted. The Bills had higher waiver priority and ended up with the 34-year-old. It is worth considering that Slay's plan was a retirement tour with the team he won a Super Bowl with last February, and the Bills' claim scuttled those plans and prevented him from serving as a potential replacement for outside cornerback Adoree' Jackson in Philadelphia.
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Bills' Darius Slay: Lands in Buffalo
Rotowire
The Bills claimed Slay off waivers from the Steelers on Wednesday, Alaina Getzenberg of ESPN.com reports.
Slay and the Steelers mutually agreed to part ways after the 34-year-old was a healthy scratch during last week's loss to the Bills. During his tenure with the Steelers, Slay recorded 36 tackles (28 solo) and three pass breakups through 10 games. He'll add a veteran presence to the Bills' secondary, which features Christian Benford, Tre'Davious White and rookie first-round pick Maxwell Hairston. His first chance to suit up for the Bills is Sunday versus the Bengals.
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Bills' Joey Bosa: Nursing hamstring injury
Rotowire
Bosa won't practice Wednesday and is considered week-to-week with a hamstring injury, Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network reports.
The 30-year-old played a season-low 24 defensive snaps and likely sustained a hamstring injury in Buffalo's Week 13 win over the Steelers. Head coach Sean McDermott told reporters Wednesday that Bosa could be out anywhere from one to five weeks, but the team is hoping he returns sooner rather than later, per Maddy Glab of the Bills' official site. With Bosa likely sidelined for the Week 14 matchup against the Bills, A.J. Epenesa is expected to play a larger role on Buffalo's defensive line.
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Bills' Cole Bishop: Tallies four tackles in win
Rotowire
Bishop recorded four tackles (one solo) during Sunday's 26-7 win at Pittsburgh.
Bishop's per-snap tackle production in Week 13 was in line with where it has been all season, but the Bills only needed him to play a season-low 40 defensive snaps Sunday. He figures to get a heavy dose of coverage assignments in Week 14 versus the pass-reliant Bengals.
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Bills' Christian Benford: Scores first NFL touchdown in win
Rotowire
Benford recorded two tackles (one solo), an interception and a fumble recovery for a touchdown during Sunday's 26-7 win at Pittsburgh.
On the first play from scrimmage in the second half, Benford came into the backfield on a corner blitz, putting him in position to scoop up an Aaron Rodgers fumble at the Steelers' 17-yard line and dash into the end zone. He had a relatively slow start to the year, but things appear to be picking up for him with a Week 14 tilt versus the Bengals around the corner.
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Darius Slay: Parts ways with Pittsburgh
Rotowire
The Steelers waived Darius Slay on Tuesday, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
Slay mutually parted ways with the team after being a healthy scratch last Sunday against the Bills. The cornerback will consider signing with another team if he clears waivers, which is likely due to the roughly 10 million dollar cap hit associated with the claim. The Steelers will roll with a cornerback trio of Joey Porter, James Pierre and recently signed Asante Samuel.
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Bills' Terrel Bernard: Ruled out for Week 13
Rotowire
Bernard (elbow) has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Steelers, Maddy Glab of the Bills' official site reports.
Bernard suffered the injury in last Thursday night's loss to the Texans and remains a candidate for injured reserve, as he's likely looking at a multi-week absence. Veterans Shaq Thompson and Matt Milano are candidates to see expanded roles at linebacker for Buffalo.
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Bills' Phidarian Mathis: Limited Wednesday
Rotowire
Mathis (shoulder) will be a limited practice participant Wednesday, Maddy Glab of the Bills' official site reports.
The Alabama product has missed the Bills' last two games due to a shoulder injury, but Wednesday's limited session could be an indication he's nearing a return. Mathis likely needs to upgrade to full practice Thursday or Friday to not have an injury designation ahead of Sunday's matchup against the Steelers.
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Bills' Maxwell Hairston: Limited Wednesday
Rotowire
Hairston (concussion) will be a limited practice participant Wednesday, Maddy Glab of the Bills' official site reports.
The 2025 first-round pick from Kentucky sustained a concussion in the Bills' Week 12 loss to the Texans, so it's no surprise that he's limited at Wednesday's practice. Hairston must clear the NFL's five-step protocol in order to play in Sunday's matchup against the Steelers. If he's unable to do so, expect Ja'Marcus Ingram to have an expanded role as Buffalo's top reserve outside corner.
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Bills' Terrel Bernard: Logs DNP on Wednesday
Rotowire
Bernard (elbow) will not practice Wednesday, Maddy Glab of the Bills' official site reports.
Head coach Sean McDermott told reporters that Bernard was a candidate to be placed on injured reserve after sustaining an elbow injury in the Bills' Week 12 loss to the Texans, so Wednesday's DNP comes as no surprise. It's likely a longshot for Bernard to suit up for Sunday's matchup against the Steelers, suggesting Shaq Thompson could have an expanded role in the team's linebacker corps.
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Bills' Taron Johnson: Five tackles in TNF defeat
Rotowire
Johnson recorded five tackles (three solo) and one pass breakup in Buffalo's loss to Houston on Thursday night.
It was Johnson's second game back from a groin injury. He made the start against Houston and logged 70 percent of the defensive snaps for the Bills, with 76 percent of those coming as the slot cornerback. Johnson has appeared in eight games this season, recording 36 tackles (25 solo) and a trio of pass breakups.
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Bills' Cole Bishop: Tallies six stops vs. Houston
Rotowire
Bishop logged six tackles (three solo) during the Bills' 23-19 loss to the Texans on Thursday.
Bishop co-led the Bills in tackles Thursday while playing every single defensive snap for the third time in his last four games (and seventh time of the season). The second-year safety has accumulated 34 tackles (20 solo) and six pass defenses (two interceptions) in the five games since the Bill' Week 7 bye.
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Bills' Terrel Bernard: Candidate for injured reserve
Rotowire
Head coach Sean McDermott said Friday that Bernard (elbow) is a candidate to be placed on injured reserve, Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic reports.
Bernard suffered an elbow injury during the Bills' 23-19 loss to the Texans on Thursday, and the issue is severe enough for him to be considered for a stint on IR. He'll continue to undergo further tests to evaluate the extent of his injury, but he's facing a significant absence, which opens the door for Joe Andreessen or Shaq Thompson to step into a starting role at linebacker alongside Matt Milano and Dorian Williams.
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Bills' Maxwell Hairston: Placed in concussion protocol
Rotowire
Hairston was placed in the concussion protocol Friday, Maddy Glab of the Bills' official site reports.
Hairston apparently sustained the concussion in Thursday night's loss to the Texans. He'll have 10 days to try and get ready for Buffalo's Week 13 contest with the Steelers. Since making his season debut in Week 8, Hairston has produced three tackles (two solo) and three pass breakups, including two interceptions, on 58 percent of the defensive snaps across five contests.
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Bills' Terrel Bernard: Ruled out Thursday
Rotowire
Bernard (elbow) has been ruled out for the rest of Thursday night's matchup with the Texans.
The middle linebacker had just gotten over an ankle injury in time for Thursday's game. Bernard had five tackles (three solo) at the time of his exit, bringing his season total to 56 (40 solo). Joe Andreessen is his backup.
